MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 113 



logical arrangements, which require llio thermometer to be shaded from 



direct sunshine and from radiation at nigW ; mean insolation or excess of 



temperature obtained by exposing the thermometer to the sun as compared 



with the shade temperature being 59*8" and the nocturnal radiation or decrease 



from the shade temperature when the thermometer is exposed to the shy 



varies from 12*8' in January to 2 - 7" in July. 



There are two distinct seasons in which the trees will flower and ripen fruit ; 



and to obtain high class fruit, the cultivator must 



Senaoa of flowering Bud clect ^ob. season he will work, as the trees will 

 fruiting. 



not bear properly at both seasons. The finest 



fruit is obtained from flowers that open in June — July and is on the market 



from February to May ; the second flowering is in February — March ; this 



ripens fruit from December to February. 



(<3.) The trees arc kept dry during May or December according to the 



season at which fruit is wanted ; at other seasons, 



irrigation is carried on sufficient to provide., 



with the rainfall, at least 1 inches of water over the entire surface per month. 



The irrigation water is drawn from wells, about 30 feet in depth, by means of 



a leathern bucket containing about 2-5 gallons, which is drawn up by bullocks 



that go down an incline, pulling a rope which passes over ;i simple pulley. 



The cost of drawing water 32 feet is about 1 anna (at par nearly 3 cents) per 



1,000 gallons. 



The water is turned into small surface channels made by drawing up a pair 



of parallel ridges 18 inches apart and 9 inches high, and given a slope of 1 per 



1,000. One channel serves two lines of trees, and from it the water is passed 



into sunk beds round the stem of the tree, extending as far as the sweep of the 



branches. About 1 to 2 inches in depth is given once in 10 days. The soil is 



kept moist from the flowering till the fruit is all gathered. 



(6.) and (7.) Soil is kept clean and open on the surface by ploughing 4 



inches deep 3 times yearly. For the crop that 



ripens during February, March — April, water is 



withheld, the soil is opened up during April — May, and the roots exposed 



during 1 b days, so that the trees get a check sufficient to cause the greater part 



of the leaves to fall. Then 100 lbs. weight per 



tree of old, moist cowdung of a reddish-brown 



colour is mixed with the soil, and the roots covered up and watered heavily if 



rain does not fall soon. This causes the trees to burst into bloom and fresh 



growth ; thereafter the soil is kept moist till the fruit is gathered. 



The same operation carried out in December brings ripe fruit during 



December, January and February, 



(8.) Clearing away suckers from below the graft and cutting out weakly 



or decayed branches only. Excessive pruning 

 Pruning, ° 



must be avoided, as it tends to cause the trees to 



" run to wood,'' and prevents flowering. 

 15 



